Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is a form of radar that may be used to create two- or three-dimensional images of objects, such as landscapes. Synthetic aperture radar may use the motion of a radar antenna of a given size over a target region to provide higher spatial resolution than the antenna would yield if stationary. A synthetic aperture radar system may be installed on a moving platform, such as an aircraft or spacecraft. The effective aperture size of the synthetic aperture radar system may then be the distance traveled by the platform during an observing interval or “dwell”. This distance may be significantly greater than the physical dimensions of the antenna and the resolution of the system may be correspondingly higher.
To create a synthetic aperture radar image, successive pulses of radio waves may be transmitted to illuminate a target scene, and the echo of each pulse may be received and recorded. Signal processing of the successive recorded radar returns allows the combining of the recordings from a plurality of antenna positions.
The processing methods used to generate a high-resolution image from a plurality of radar returns may have various shortcomings. Such methods may be computationally intensive, and poorly suited for distributed computation. Some such methods may also be suitable for use only with narrow fields of view, i.e., in observing scenarios in which the dimensions of the region of ground being imaged are small compared to the distance between the platform and the region of ground being imaged.
Thus, there is a need for an improved system and method for the formation of synthetic aperture radar images.